Strength
by xxTemarixx
Summary: Rikkaidai High School is filled with intelligence, talent, dedication, pride, and excellence. However, only a select few have the strength to stand at the top - even during their darkest times. /OC-centric. Mainly: MaruiOC and NiouOC, Multi-chapter./


_April 5, 2011, Tuesday_

The giant auditorium is filled with conversations and laughter as all the student of Rikkaidai High return for the new school year. Upperclassmen are catching up with their friends and teammates while the new first years wander around nervously, trying to stay out of everyone's way.

Momoroshi Kata wanders through the crowd, looking for her friends. She nods at a few classmates and makes her way to a row of seats in the middle.

"Kata!"

She turns around at the sound of a familiar voice and a small smile appears on her face. From the crowd, a seventeen year-old male dressed in the Rikkaidai uniform appears and makes his way towards Kata. His shaggy, dark brown hair is flipped to the side and a lop-sided grin is plastered on his face. He winks at a few freshman girls on the way and they giggle, turning to their friends.

"There you are Ryu," Kata says, relieved.

"Sorry, I got distracted," Hitashi Ryu laughs, rubbing his neck sheepishly.

She playfully rolls her eyes. "I'm not surprised - but hey, let's go find a seat, I think I see Natsumi-chan."

The two make their way through the crowd to the front of the stage. A short girl with white ribbons in her black hair is directing two first years towards their section of the auditorium. She turns around and smiles when she catches sight of the pair.

"Ryu-kun! Momoroshi-chan!" Hiwamura Natsumi greets, walking over to them. "Are you excited? It's our last year before university."

"I'm so pumped, hopefully we'll win a National title and I'll go pro!" Ryu pumps his fist.

"It'll be interesting all right," Kata says, adjusting her ponytail.

"All right everyone, please sit down, our welcoming ceremony is about to begin," the principal announces over the speakers. The first and second years are quick to their seats while the third years take their time. Once everyone is settled, the principal clears his throat and begins.

"I'm excited to welcome everyone to another great year here at Rikkadai. Rikkaidai is a school that many students apply for, and we only take the best. We expect the best and that every student brings pride and success to our school. The standards and expectations are high and always will be. We've built ourselves a tradition of excellence that will continue through the years. We're always excited to see what new, bright minds shine each year."

The principal pauses for a moment and smiles.

"I'd like one of our most dedicated students, who truly understand the meaning of success and determination, to come up and give everyone a little inspiration for the year. Please welcome, Yukimura Seiichi."

The auditorium erupts into applause as a blue-haired male makes his way to the stage, his walk full of confidence. Kata sits with her legs crossed and flattens her skirt. She wishes it was her up on stage, speaking to the student body, but it's not, because Yukimura is the Child of God, and no one beats him.

"Hello everyone, I hope you're all excited for a new school year," Yukimura begins. "Being a part of Rikkaidai is something I – as do most everyone here – take serious and we all take pride in our accomplishments. For our graduating upperclassmen, I hope you all make the best of your last year. For our underclassmen, I hope you will reach for great heights and never give up. There's so much to look forward to this year and in the years to come."

Yukimura steps down from the podium and politely smiles at the principal. Everyone claps and the principal makes his way back onto the podium.

"Thank you, Yukimura-kun, that was inspiring," he smiles. "I hope you all do you best and enjoy the rest of your first day back. In an orderly fashion, you may all go see your class placements."

The principal steps down and everyone stands up, eager to see who is in their class. Kata, Ryu, and Natsumi exit the auditorium and head to the bulletin board with the third year class listings that's across campus.

_-x-_

"Aw man, we're all in different classes!" Ryu groans, stepping away from the board. Kata frowns slightly – he's right. Ryu is in class 3-A, she is in class 3-C, and Natsumi is in class 3-F.

"At least we have lunch together though," Natsumi says, trying to be optimistic.

"That is true… hey Kata, look! Yukimura-san is in your class again!" Ryu points to Kata's name on the class 3-C sheet, then to the one near the bottom.

_Yukimura Seiichi._

"Are you kidding me?" Kata mutters under her breath. "Well, that's the fourth year in a row, like seriously?"

Ryu laughs and Natsumi giggles. Ever since Kata's third year in middle school, she's been stuck in Yukimura's class.

Kata rolls her eyes at the two and looks to see who's in her friends' classes. She pauses near the middle of the class 3-A sheet and takes a deep breath. Continuing down the list, she pauses again and takes another deep breath.

"Ryu," Kata whispers. "Look at _all_ the names in your class."

Ryu frowns and scans the list. "What are you talking abou- oh."

_Marui Bunta_

_Sanada Genichirou_

_Takeharu Kyana_

"This is great," he groans, "just great."

"Think of how I feel," Kata says before turning to scan the 3-F list. She rereads the list a few times before taking a deep breath. This year will be different than last year, and she doesn't know if that is a good thing, or a bad thing.

_Niou Masaharu_

_Tsukimoto Yukiko_

_Yagyuu Hiroshi_

"Anything interesting?" Ryu asks, bumping into a few people and reading over Kata's shoulder.

Kata shrugs, adjusting her tie and the small silver band on her right middle finger. She doesn't like seeing their names, she doesn't like hearing their names, and she can't stand the sight of them.

"Momoroshi-chan?" Natsumi asks, tapping her lightly on the shoulder. Kata blinks and turns to her friends, forcing a small smile.

Before she can say anything, the bell rings.

Kata adjusts her red messenger bag and walks through the door to the classroom labeled _3-C_. Looking around, she finds a seat in the middle where she usually sits each year. After pulling out her books and pencils, she looks around the room to see if she recognizes anyone.

'_No one I really know,'_ she thinks, inwardly frowning. However, she's not surprised at all because since the beginning of her first year in high school, her status hasn't been very high.

At the sound of some girls giggling, Kata looks up to see Yukimura entering the classroom and heading towards the back. She prays he doesn't say anything, but it seems like no one heard her. On his way to the back, he smiles politely at her.

"It seems we're together again, hm Momoroshi-san?" he says before continuing on. He doesn't give her a chance to reply, but what else is there to say?

'_There's nothing to say,' _she thinks. '_Nothing at all and it's better that way.'_

_-x-_

When the bell rings, Kata gathers up her books and leaves to go find Ryu and Natsumi. She locates them outside under a tree, Ryu scarfing down food and Natsumi picking up a piece of sushi in such a lady-like way it makes Kata want to have a tea party.

"Why hello Ms. Freshmen-Give-Me-Weird-Looks, how was class with the _amazing _Child of God?" Ryu asks as she sits down, pulling out her own bento.

"Hey, it's not my fault they stare," she counters. "But the class was alright, it's just awkward to me, you know? After everything that's happened, I don't know what to say."

"I can believe that," Ryu agrees, taking a sip of water and running a hand through his hair. He looks over at Natsumi and sees her staring at the duo, confused. "Something wrong Natsumi?"

"Why do freshmen look at Momoroshi-chan weird?" she asks quietly, not wanting to make a seen. She notices a trio of freshmen looking over at their table – or more specifically, Kata.

Ryu laughs. "You're kidding me right? I mean, look at Kata's hair! It's purple!"

"Lavender, to be exact," Kata adds, and touches a strand of her hair. Back in her second year of middle school, she lost a bet (that she refuses to speak of) and had to dye her hair lavender. She thought it looked cool at the time, and kept it. Some of the tennis regulars have strange colored hair, so she figures that if they can keep theirs, so can she.

"Oh," Natsumi says, as if it all makes sense now. "Well, I mean it _is_ an unique hair color, so I guess it makes sense."

"Well more or less, freshmen don't expect Rikkaidai students to have weird colored hair, but hey, it's high school," Kata says, taking a bite of her rice. She swallows and takes a sip of water, only to see her friends staring at a table two away from them.

She glances over and her heart stops as she sees part of the male and female regulars of Rikkaidai's two tennis teams sitting at a table, talking and laughing. She takes a deep breath and tries to look away, but can't. A girl with long, dark brown hair with a yellow head band glances at her.

The two keep eye contact for a few seconds before another girl glances over. Her long, light brown hair is in a side ponytail and she brushes her bangs back with confidence, a small heart tattoo visible on her inner wrist.

"_You're a traitor! A freaking traitor!"_

Kata looks away and grips her chopsticks a bit tighter. They won't get the better of her, not now and not ever.

"_Hey isn't she that Momoroshi girl?"_

"_Yeah, I heard she got kicked out of the tennis club."_

"_I heard she quit!"_

_-x-_

"It seems the freshmen are at it again," a black-haired girl says, adjusting her glasses and flipping through a book. The other people at the table turn to look at her, surprised anyone commented on the rumors – these _particular_ rumors.

Absently drawing random shapes on the table with her finger, a light brown-haired girl rolls her brown eyes and shrugs.

"Let 'em, who cares?"

The white-haired male next to her smirks, resting his head in his hand. "Still bitter?"

Her face is emotionless. "Of course not, why do you ask?"

"It's a new year, new things can happen," the male replies. The others at the table watch the two curiously.

"Oh shut up Niou, it's our final year, no one wants drama," the girl snaps, glaring at him.

Niou Masaharu smirks, unaffected by her anger. "I mean hey, it seems she's already replaced you with the vice-captain of the soccer team."

"Niou-kun, that's enough," Yagyuu Hiroshi cuts in with a disapproving tone. "Tsukimoto-san _does_ have a temper, you know that."

"Thank you Yagyuu-san," Tsukimoto Yukiko throws another glare at Niou before turning back to the table. "Why are we even talking about _her_ anyways? There are much better to things to discuss."

Niou smirks wider. "Yep, still bitter."

_-x-_

Once the final bell rings, everyone rushes excitedly out of their classrooms towards the club sign-up. First years stand with their friends, trying to decide what clubs to join. Haughty second years strut up to the different athletic clubs, claiming they can be all the regulars. The third years who aren't running sign-ups continue to catch up with old friends, being in no rush to sign-up.

Kata walks over to the soccer team's sign-up table and looks at the sign-up sheet. She wonders what club – if she even joins one – to pick. There is soccer, writing club, basketball, gardening, art club, band…

'_Or tennis,'_ she grimaces at the thought and looks away from the sign-up sheet, looking for Ryu.

"Hey Kata, are you looking to join the soccer team?" Ryu asks playfully, poking her in the arm with a pen.

Kata raises an eyebrow. "I don't think I could deal with you longer than I have to."

"I'm so hurt," he says, putting a hand on his heart. He smiles before turning serious. "But seriously, have you considered what clubs to join?"

"I don't know if I want to join a club," she replies, playing with the pen cap on the table. "At least, I don't want to right now."

Ryu nods, "I understand, but do consider it."

"I will, anything to get out of the house," she says, handing the pen cap to Ryu. "I'm going to go look around, have fun recruiting people."

"Oh I will," he laughs.

Kata turns and walks away, heading towards the edge of the crowd. She remembers being a first year and eagerly walking up to the tennis club, signing her name off with confidence.

Unable to resist, she glance at the tennis sign-up tables. For the boys' team, she sees Kuwabara Jackal, Kirihara Akaya, Marui Bunta, and Niou Masaharu running it. Sanada probably put them up to dealing with the newbies. For the girls' team, she sees Tsukimoto and a short girl with dark brown hair and a second year blazer.

'_Kyan- Takeharu-san must of put them up to it,' _she thinks before glancing back at the boys' table. For a split second, she's looking into a pair of amethyst eyes and freezes.

Kata feels her heart begin to speed up and her palms get sweaty. The person doesn't seem to move either, and the two stay in place, unable to do anything but stare.

Carefully, she takes a deep breath and touches the bracelet on her wrist as the other person looks away. Keeping her composure, she walks over to the soccer sign-up and takes a seat next to Ryu. She closes her eyes for a moment.

'_Just… why?'_

* * *

**A/N: OKAY GUYS. I'm back with a new story that I've had laying around for a while now. Some of you guys probably remember my **Absolute Queen Rikkaidai **trilogy? Well, this was suppose to be a future sequel to it but I scratched the trilogy and produced this. Sooo, I hope you guys like it! **

**I know people can be picky when it comes to writing all characters by their last name or first name. I'm going to write all the PoT characters by their last name, and OCs by their first when it's not dialogue. This is to help the flow and some characters share last names and it helps to avoid confusion.**

**Special thanks to **doroniasobi **for being so awesome and helpful.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything but my OCs.**


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